Objective: The Pilot Project Core will support new research initiatives on the metabolic syndrome at SCSU and MUSC and leverage efforts in the Research and Training Cores to enhance minority faculty development and retention. Pilot funding will support high-quality proposals with a primary emphasis on minority junior investigators relevant to the Center theme. Pilot funding will allow investigators to explore new research ideas and accumulate sufficient data for applications to external funding agencies. Specific Aims: 1. Provide research support for faculty career development at MUSC and SCSU. The Pilot Project Program will emphasize minority faculty development for (a)junior investigators without independent funding; (b) established faculty who want to develop a research program in the area of the Metabolic Syndrome and are new to this field, and (c) established investigators in the field whose proposed research represents a significant change in direction. 2. Facilitate access to other cores and programs within the MUSC/SCSU EXPORT Center in order to enhance research capacity for pilot project investigators 3. Assist pilot project investigators in hypothesis development, feasibility, preliminary data, and research design for applications to external funding agencies. 4. Augment the base of minority scientists and activity related to the metabolic syndrome at SCSU and MUSC. Methods: Selection criteria: (a) Research quality based on peer-review will be the sine qua non for funded pilot projects (b) Career status: New investigators or junior faculty are preferred. (c) Demography: African Americans are under-represented in the biomedical sciences, and the pilot Project Research Core will emphasize development of minority faculty and students at both MUSC and SCSUo (d) Research environment will be considered in evaluating pilot project applications. (e) Leveraging the degree to which the pilot project proposals take advantage of the EXPORT Cores and programs, as appropriate for the research objectives, will be considered. Significance: African Americans are markedly under-represented in the biomedical sciences, while health disparities among this under-served ethnic minority are often extreme. An investigative team that is superbly trained, conducting vital research, and more reflective of population demographics is an important component of an effective strateb- / to reduce health disparities, and the Pilot Project Core is committed to this objective.